What are shrimp?
Shrimps are foods of animal origin belonging to the fundamental group of foods. From the nutritional point of view, they are classified as "fishery products" and as such they represent above all a source of: high biological value proteins, specific vitamins and minerals; they contain a good percentage of essential fats, but also significant doses of cholesterol.
"Shrimp" is not a scientific term and indicates many animal species that, in some way, resemble each other.
Among the shrimps there are species that must necessarily be fished (generally they live in the sea, at great depths) and creatures that can be raised (especially animals that colonize brackish waters or even sweet ones).
Description
Shrimps are small invertebrates, varying in size but not more than a few centimeters long, with elongated shape and color and length varying according to species. With no internal skeleton, they are instead covered by the rigid and segmented chitin-based structure typical of "crustaceans".
The shrimp's body can be analyzed by dividing it into two segments: the large "head", which also acts as a container for most of the organs, and the belly, made up of a bundle of muscles that reach up to the tail and in which the the only passing organ is the intestine.
On the head are inserted frontally: two protruding eyes (usually black), a pair of sensorial antennas and sharpened rostrums, leaning forward, under which the jaws are hidden.
Note : the prawns do not have large front claws such as lobsters, scampi, crabs and crayfish.
Below, however, from the head to the tail, six pairs of limbs are inserted, of which at least two are small claws and at least four are legs. From the belly (segmented to allow the necessary flexion to the tail for the escape), inferiorly, six other pairs of limbs are inserted, usually used for swimming; on the extreme lateral side a massive caudal fin appears, necessary for the emergency propulsion for the escape. Note : the shrimps move by walking or swimming forward; they snap back just to escape.
Food
Culinary uses
Shrimps are marketed mainly frozen (also together with other fishery products); to a lesser extent, they are sold in brine. Note : most of the loose prawns, available at the fish market or on supermarket counters, are not fresh and are simply thawed on site (with few exceptions related to certain seaside locations).
From a commercial point of view, shrimps are cataloged according to species, size, color, etc .; none of these parameters meet the scientific classification criteria.
Another method of distinction is that of the processing level; shrimps can be whole, headless and shelled.
Note : many prefer to clean the shrimp by also removing the intestine, which looks like a black thread passing over the back, just below the carapace. From a hygienic point of view, this procedure (illustrated in the following video) makes sense only in anticipation of raw consumption.
How to Clean Prawns
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They should never be cooked for a long time, to prevent them from acquiring a rubbery or stringy consistency.
The most famous prawn-based appetizer is boiled. In pasta dishes, they are widely used for pasta sauces or as an ingredient in risottos; they are also excellent in filling stuffed pasta. Among the latter, shrimp fry, brandy sautéed prawns and grilled shrimp skewers are very famous. Several recipes for pies or quiche include the use of shrimp.
Shrimps marry brilliantly with vegetables (such as rocket and carrots), fruit (eg pineapple), aromatic herbs (oregano, marjoram, thyme, etc.), other fishery products, mushrooms (eg porcini), cereals and legumes (rice, pasta, peas, etc.) and certain milk derivatives (eg cream). They can be seasoned with oil, melted butter, spices (eg curry or chilli), balsamic vinegar and soy sauce. They also appear in mixed recipes of meat and fish, such as paella.
Curiosity: shrimp head and shell for the sauce
Not everyone knows that the shrimp's head and carapace, despite being insoluble in water and oil, are excellent ingredients for obtaining tasty broths, comics, restricted sauces and bisque. The procedure is different depending on the recipe.
Shrimp preservation
Shrimps are foods that are very sensitive to decay. Fresh or defrosted should be kept in the fridge and consumed quickly. This is because, even in the absence of bacterial contamination, they tend to rapidly degrade proteins and amino acids, releasing ammonia. Furthermore, they quickly acquire an unsightly dark color (due to oxidation) near the head, caudal fin and legs. To avoid this inconvenience, some shrimps are already blanched at an industrial level (not only those in brine, but also some types sold frozen).
Nutritional properties
Shrimp nutritional characteristics
Shrimps have a moderate caloric intake. Energy is provided primarily by proteins, followed by carbohydrates and a negligible amount of fat.
Peptides have a high biological value, simple sugars and predominantly unsaturated lipids, characterized by a good percentage of essential omega 3 polyunsaturated (eicosapentaenoic acid - EPA - and docosahexaenoic - DHA). Cholesterol is very abundant and fibers are absent.
Regarding mineral salts, shrimps are rich in phosphorus, calcium, sodium, potassium, iron, selenium, zinc and iodine. As for vitamins, these foods contain notable levels of thiamine (B1), riboflavin (B2), niacin (PP) and retinol equivalent (pro vitamin A). Note : shrimps contain, in most cases, a good concentration of astaxanthin, a vegetable carotenoid that accumulates in the tissues of the animal that feeds on algae.
Shrimps lend themselves to most diets (except for allergy sufferers), but with a frequency of consumption and in different portions depending on the metabolic condition. Note : shrimps, like other molluscs, are among the most common food allergens.
Some studies indicate that, despite the high cholesterol content, probably due to the fair percentage of omega 3 and the good content of astaxanthin, the intake of shrimp may positively affect cholesterolemia, optimizing the relationship between LDL and HDL (in favor of these last). However, in case of hypercholesterolemia it is however advisable to limit both the frequency of consumption and the portion. They have no contraindications in the diet against obesity.
They are excluded from the vegetarian and vegan philosophy, and from the kosher (Jewish cuisine), Muslim and Hindu regulations.
The average portion of shrimp is 100-150 g (about 70-105 kcal).
| Fresh Shrimps | ||
| Nutritional values per 100 g | ||
| Power | 71.0 kcal | |
| Total carbohydrates | 2.9 g | |
| Starch | - g | |
| Simple sugars | 2.9 g | |
| fibers | 0.0 g | |
| Grassi | 0.6 g | |
| Saturated | - g | |
| Monounsaturated | - g | |
| polyunsaturated | - g | |
| Cholesterol | 150 mg | |
| Protein | 13.6 g | |
| water | 80.1 g | |
| Vitamins | ||
| Vitamin A equivalent | 2.0 μg | |
| Beta-carotene | - μg | |
| Lutein Zexanthin | - μg | |
| Vitamin A | - IU | |
| Thiamine or B1 | 0.08 mg | |
| Riboflavin or B2 | 0.10 mg | |
| Niacin or PP or B3 | 3.20 mg | |
| Pantothenic acid or B5 | - mg | |
| Pyridoxine or B6 | - mg | |
| folate | - μg | |
| Choline | - mg | |
| Ascorbic acid or C | 2.0 mg | |
| Vitamin D | - μg | |
| Alpha-tocopherol or E | - mg | |
| Vit. K | - μg | |
| Minerals | ||
| Football | 110.0 mg | |
| Iron | 1.8 mg | |
| Magnesium | 39.0 mg | |
| Manganese | - mg | |
| Phosphorus | 349.0 mg | |
| Potassium | 266.0 mg | |
| Sodium | 146.0 mg | |
| Zinc | 1.9 mg | |
| Fluoride | - μg | |
Biology
Shrimp is the name used to identify some creatures belonging to the Subphylum crustaceans and the Decapoda Order although, being a "non-scientific" definition, it could also include many "Non-Decapoda" species.
In the strict sense of the word, shrimps are shrimps (or shrimp) of small or medium size that mainly belong to the Dendrobranchiata and especially Caridea suborders; shrimps of the sea are better known, but in Italy the small shrimps of the valley and of fresh water are also consumed.
The life cycle of the shrimp is between one and seven years. These creatures have different eating habits and habitats depending on the species; most are predators and live on the seabed, with very variable bathymetric depths. Especially in the breeding season, shrimps gather in large colonies.
Ecology
Sustainability of the shrimp trade
The shrimp trade is a 50 billion euro business per year; in 2010 the total production was almost 7 million tons.
In the Mediterranean Sea, especially in limited areas such as Mazzara del Vallo or Gallipoli, many shrimp species are disappearing due to over-intensive fishing.
In other areas of the planet, shrimp are bred. This practice (widespread especially in China), which began only in the 1980s, in 2007 exceeded the capture of wild prawns quantitatively. However, if on the one hand it protects the density of wild population, on the other it triggers many problems of pollution in the estuaries of the rivers used for breeding. Note : not all species can be farmed; the most famous are in fact fished massively at great depths, with advanced technologies, but not without ecological damage.
